Grain-cleaner



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J. RUSSELL. GRAIN CLEANER.

. 11 ,255,028. Patented Mar.14 ,1882.

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" J. RUSSELL.

. GRAIN GLEANER.

No. 255,028. -PatentdMar; 14,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFicE.

JOHN RUSSELL, OF BERLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAIN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,028, dated March 14, 1882.

Application filed October 22, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berlin,- in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cleaners; and 1 do .hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it a ppertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters or figures of reference marked thereon,which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to machines for cleaning grain and the novelty consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will bemore fully hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The object ofthc invention is not only to eliminate from the grain all refuse, dust, chafi, germs,and pieces of hull, but to separate such refuse into two divisions, the one containing the germs, bits of the berry, and heavier bran being conducted to a proper receptacle and saved, and the other containing the dust, 860., being allowed to waste. To this end I subject the constantly-flowing grain to reverse in such draft being allowed to waste through the same fan-box, and the grain is still further cleaned by conducting the same from the shoe to pairs of scouring and brushing devices, one

. of each pair being stationary and the other ject-mattcr of a separate application, and is re- (ModeL) ferred to in this application only to show the general connection with devices which serve to further clean the grain froin harmful elements. 7

The invention isillustrated in the drawings, in which Fig. l is a central vertical section of my grain-cleaning machine; Fig. 2, a transverse section through the line as as, Fig. 1; Fig. 3. a transverse section through the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section through the line to '10, Fig. 1, and Figs. 5 and 6 are detailvicws.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a square or rectangular frame, and A a similar frame,which may be bolted thereto. The frame A supports the fan-box B, fan-case B, and fur-- nishes journal-bearings for a vertical shaft, B upon which are hung radial arms b,which carry the fan-leaves b. The fan-case B is provided with an air-inlet,b around the shaft 8*, and with an outlet at If. The frame A" supports a fan-box with similar central opening to a fancasc, N, and provides journals for a shaft S, having pulley s, which is belted to the shaft B by pulley Z) and belt 11 so that a single motive power operates both shafts. An eccentric pin, 07, upon the shaft S, through a pitman,

r1, secured at f to the shoe F, supported by springarms f, serves to vibrate said shoe which separates the different elements through screens E and E, the former of which is of coarser mesh.

Orepresents the hopper, having valve a and open connection with chute Ofithrough the port 0 of which the grain gravitates to the shoe F. In its gravital deseentfrom the ports 0 to c the grain encounters a draft of air impelled by the partial vacuum formed in the fan-box B and vicinity, which draft separates from the grain the dust,chafi',&c.,and carries it upward into a bifurcated chute, 0, each branch of which passes over and downward upon opposite sides of the machine, and each of which is provided'with apertures 0, leading into the fan-box B, through which the dust, &c., passes, thence through the aperture I) into the fan-case B and out at b. The bran and heavier portions gravitate past the dustport a and find their exit near the bottom in a similar manner to that shown in Fig. 3 at c 0" in the chutes J, which will be described. The grain, with some of the heavier straw, 850., having reached the shoe, is impelled down the incline, the coarse portions, straw, &c., passing over the end of the upper screen,E, and thence to one side of the machine in any well-known manner, the grain passing through the screen E, and from the screen E upon a carrier, 1,

which inclines from the center in either lateral direction and feeds it into the hoppers or chutes J. While in its descent through the chutes J the grain again encounters a reverse draft of air caused by the fan I) b, which draft takes up the cleanings, carries them upward, over, and downward through the duplex chutes J, the dust passing into the fan-box B through portsj, and to waste through b 'and b while the heavier portions gravitate and exit through port 0, having hinged valve 0" ,to which port it is deflected by the inclined). An adjustable deflector, R, prevents the draft from controlling the heavier particles of the cleanings.

It will thus be observed that the grain is subjected, both before it reaches the shoe and after, to reverse drafts of air, and the cleanings impelled toward the same fan-box by a single fan, through which fan-box the dust and worthless parts are passed to waste. In ordinary cases such operation would be sufficient; but I have discovered that to obtain superior products the germ from the sprout end of the berry and projecting bits of hull and fuzz should also be eliminated. To this end I subject the grain to scouring and brushing devices, and then conduct it through an inclined chute, E to a vertical tube, H, where it meets a third reverse draft, caused by the fan a n, by which draft the cleanings are carried upward, over, and downward through chutes H, one upon either side of the tube H, the dust passing I to waste through the fan-box and fan-case N -in a similar manner as from the chutes O J,

while the germs gravitate and are saved for proper uses. The heavier dirt, grit,&c., which sit'ts through the screens E Eis conducted to waste in any well-known manner, as also is the coarser straw, &c., from the upper screen, E. The devices for these purposes, forming no part of this invention, are not shown.

By this construction a single power-connection serves to control two fans to incite six separate air-currents, vibrates the screen, and operates the germ-separating devices and the brushes automatically.

What I claim as new is-- 1. In a grain-cleaner, a shoe provided with screens, means, substantially as described, for subjecting the grain to a reverse draft of air before it reaches the screen, in combination with means, substantially as described, for dividing the current of grain as it leaves the screen and subjecting each stream to a second air-draft, both air-drafts being incited bya I single fan, and the cleanings in each case being separated, the dust and lighter portions passing to waste through a common fan-box, and the heavier portions deflected and fed to proper receptacles for use, as specified.

2. The combination of the fan-case B 1) b fan I) b, and fan-box B, having dust-inlets 0 with the hopper O, chute 0 having bifurcated branches, the shoe F, and chutes J J, provided with the ports 0 c and deflector b, as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the fan-boxes B, 0, j, and N, shafts B b and S s, belt 11 the shoe F, the fans I) n, the germ-separators and brushes, and the draft-chutes G J H, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

(J. S. BUNDY, J. W. ROGERS. 

